Filling-end-withdrawing means for weft-replenishing looms



E. s. snmsow.

HLLlNG END WITHDRAWING MEANS FOR WE'FT REPLENISHING LDOMS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT 14. 1920.

L fig a Pmnwd y 11, 1922.,

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

Edward S. Siirnp son E. s. STIMPSON,

FILLING END WlTHDRAWI-NG MEANS FOR wen REPLENISHING LOOMS. 4 APPLICATlON FILIED OCT 14, I920. ggg gg Patented July 11, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lnvehTor, Edward S. Siimpson I b ywa AWys.

EDWARD S. STIMPSON, 01E HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER CORPORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0E lvIAINE.

FILLING-END-WITHDRAW'ING MEANS FOR XVEET-REPLENISEING- LOOMS.

i ,eeasss Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July ii, lees.

Application filed. October 14, 1920. Serial No. 416,810.

To all whomit may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. STIMPsQN,

Massachusetts, have invented an Improve ment in Filling-End-lVithcl1awing Means for lVeft-Replenishing Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic filling replenishing looms in which means are provided for catching the trailing end of the filling which extends from the shuttle to an abandoned filling carrier it is discharged from the shuttle by the transferring mechanism and the princi aal object thereof is to provide means which will more effectively catch and remove the trailing filling end than has heretofore been devised.

In the transferring operation of automatic filling replenishing looms the filling, running to the filling carrier about to be discharged, is severed adjacent the nose of the shuttle and when the abandoned filling carrier is discharged from the shuttle a trail.-

ing end is left which runs therefrom through the shuttle eye to the abandoned filling carrier. If this trailing end is not removed before the next pick succeeding transfer the filling end is likely to be drawn into the cloth and form an imperfection in the weave. lileans have heretofore been provided for catching this filling end which usually comprise a device positioned below the aperture in the lay through which the filling carrier is discharged and behind the path of the discharging filling carrier so that as the lay recedes the trailing filling end will be drawn over the filling end catcher and removed from the shuttle eye. Such devices have proven inefiective at times by reason of the failure of the mechanism to grip the filling end with sufiicient force to prevent it from being drawn into the web of cloth upon the first pick of the replenished shuttle, or by reason of the filling end being thrown beyond the field of action of the filling end catcher, so that occasionally the filling end will be drawn into the web of cloth. In certain classes of goods, such as duck, mohair, and other high grade materials, the defect thus produced by the trailing filling end being drawn into the fabric is very objectionable. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide means which will, with certainty, engage and hold the filling end at the time the replenlshed shuttle is picked across the loom after transfer, and which will also more readily discharge the trailing filling end, thus removed, from the shuttle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a filling end catcher in which the filling engaging member will he more closely adjacent the path of the lay end than in previous constructions so that it will bend the filling end more abruptly as the lay recedes and consequently grip the same more firmly when the shuttle is picked, preferably co-operating means being provided on the lay to hold the filling end more securely.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing means for preventing the filling end from escaping from the field of action of the filling end catcher.

A further object of the invention is to provide a yieldable clearer carried by the lay and'so positioned as to traverse the path closely adjacent the under-side of the filling end catcher, said filling end clearer being so mounted as to cause an abrupt bend of the filling end in a reverse direction to that produced by the filling end catcher and lay end at the time the replenished shuttle is picked, thus more positively anchoring the-filling end.

In some instances a delayed movement of the picker stick may strike the filling end catcher as the lay moves forward, or a filling carrier, or some other obstruction may encounter the filling end catcher, or the filling end clearer, or both, and thus occasion a smash.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means for yieldably mounting both. the filling end clearer and the filling end catcher, so that the possibility of a smash will be prevented. By reason of such aconstruction injury to the operator will be prevented'if, by inadvertence, the operator should place his hand between the filling end catcher and the moving filling end clearer.

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the follow ing description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated herein as applied to a usual filling replenishing loom of the Northrop type.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end view of a portion of the loom showing my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the lay in section in transferring position and illustrating the filling end catcher embodying my invention supported from the loom frame in co-operative relation to the lay, and also illustrating in dotted lines the position of the filling end clearer at the time of transfer.

Fig. 3 is a similar detail view showing the manner in which the filling is caught when the lay is moved into position for the shuttle to be picked after transfer, certain parts of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 being omitted,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a portion of the loom frame and lay showing the filling end catcher and filling end clearer comprising the invention as applied thereto, and,

Fig. 5 is a detail planview of a portion of the lay showing serrations or teeth upon the front side of the aperture through which the abandoned shuttle is discharged adapted to engage the trailing filling.

The loom illustrated in the accompanying drawings is of the usual automatic filling replenishing type comprising a frame or loom side 1 which supports at its transfer end a hopper stand 2 provided with a rotary hopper 3 which carries a circular series of fresh filling carriers l adapted successively to be presented above the lay when the latter is in transfer position. The transferring mechanism comprises the usual transfer arm 5 which is pivotally mounted upon a stud 6 carried by the hopper stand 2, said transfer arm being provided with a downward ex tension 7 upon which is pivoted a dog 8 which is adapted to engage the usual bunter upon the lay, (not shown).

The loom also comprises a lay 9 which is carried upon swords, not shown, and actuated in the usual manner, but in-as-much as the means for actuating the lay forms no part of the present invention, illustration thereof is omitted.

The usual shuttle box 10 is mounted upon the lay end 11 which is provided with the usual chute 12 integrally formed thereon extending upwardly within the slot 13 in the lay through which the abandoned filling car rier is discharged. The parts above described may be'and are of the usual character.

The present invention contemplates the provision o no el m s or mo e f ctively catching and clearing from the shuttle eye the trailing end which runs from the shuttle to the discharging or discharged filling car rier, and further in providing yieldable mountings for the filling end catcher and the clearer which will prevent a smash if any obstruction is encountered by one or both of these instrumentalities.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated herein the filling end catcher is in the form of a plate 14 having an extension 15 normally located at the rear of the path of the discharging filling carrier and provided with an upper serrated edge 16 which lies closely adjacent the path traversed by the under face of the lay end. The under side of the front wall of the aperture in the lay end, through which the abandoned filling carrier is discharged, desirably is provided with a plate having a series of downwardly bent, preferably hook-shaped teeth or serrations 17 which are pointed toward the adjacent end of the lay,'adapted in cooperation with the serrations 16 upon the filling end catcher, to securely engage and hold the trailing filling end when the replenished shuttle is picked.

Filling end clearing devices heretofore constructed have failed upon certain occasions to operate because the filling end was thrown beyond the end of the filling end catcher. In the present invention the filling end catcher is providednear its end with a forwardly extending arm 18 projecting a suflicient distance to prevent the filling end being thrown out of the range of the filling end catcher and which will retain the filling end within the field of movement of the filling end clearer.

The filling end catcher desirably is so mounted as to yield in either direction. As illustrated herein the plate 14-. is secured by rivets 19 to the fiat side of a frame 20 having ears 21 and 22 which are journalled upon a stud 23 carried by a bracket 24 which is secured to the loom side 1. The journal for the ear 21 desirably fits loosely upon the stud 23, while the journal for the car 22 is in the form of an oblong slot 25 which embraces the stud 23.

The frame 20 is provided with an extension 26, desirably triangular in cross section, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the wall 27 of said extension abutting against the side 28 of the bracket 24. The inclination of the wall 27 relatively to the plate 14 is such that when the wall 27 is in engagement with the wall 28 of the bracket 24 the filling end catcher 15 will be positioned at the rear of the path of the abandoned filling carrier, the upper end of the filling end catcher 15 being so positioned as to engage the cut-away wall of the lay when the lay reaches transferring position. Any suitable means may be provided-for normally holding the plate 14in this position. In the embodiment of the invention .illustrated herein the ear 22 of the frame 20 is provided with an extension 29 which is engaged by the end of a helical spring 30, the other end of said spring being secured to an arm 31 of the bracket 24. By reason of this construction the filling end catcher is enabled to yield in either direction, for if an obstruction is encountered between the forwardly-moving lay and the filling end catcher the frame 20 will rock about the .corner 32 of the triangular extension 26 as a pivot, the spring 30 and elongated pivotal slot 25 permitting such pivotal movement. If, upon the other hand, the filling end catcher is struck by a descending filling carrier and moved rearwardly, the frame 20 will rock about the upper corner 33 of the triangular extension 26. The loose fitting journal between the ear 21 and stud 23 is adapted to permit a suficient swinging motion of the filling end catcher to avoid a smash.

A further and important feature of the invention consists in providing a yielding filling end clearer carried by the lay which is so positioned as to traverse the path below, and closely adjacent to, the under edge of the filling end catcher and adapted to co operate with the filling end catcher to grip the filling end more firmly at the time the shuttle is picked after transfer has taken place.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing a filling end clearer having a smooth surface which will readily discharge the trailing filling end.

As illustrated herein the filling end clearer comprises a smooth, preferably cylin drical bar 34 which extends in parallelism with the lay and traverses the path below, and closely adjacent to. the under edge of the filling end catcher. The bar 34 is car ried by an arm 35 of a rock shaft 36 which is journaled in a bracket 37 upon the lay end. A helical spring 38, surrounding the rock shaft 36, is anchored at one end to the bracket 37 and at the other end to an 011 closing cap 39 which is secured by a pin or set screw l0 to the rock shaft 36. The helical spring 38 is so constructed as normally to raise the arm 35 upwardly. extension 41 upon the arm 35 which engages the bracket 37 serves. however. to limit the upward movement of the arm 35 so as to yieldably retain the filling end clearer in proper position. By reason of this yielding construction the danger of breakage of the filling end clearer by a descending filling carrier. or by engagement of the filling end clearer with an obstruction, is avoided.

When in the operation of the loom trans fer is called for and the lay approaches transferring position the filling end clearer A shouldered is carried forward beyond the path of the discharging abandoned filling carrier and consequently beyond the position of the yieldably mounted filling end catcher l5.

.li hen transfer takes olace the abandoned filling carrier is discharged between the filling end catcher and the filling end clearer. As the lay moves backwardly after transfer the serrations 17 on the plate carried by the lay end, together with the serrations 16 on the upper edge of the filling end catcher, engagethe trailing filling end and by reason of their oroximity bend the trailing filling end sharply. The filling end clearer, which is carried by the lay. also engages the filling end and bends it abruptly in the opposite direction about the lower edge of the filling end catcher, thus forming a bight partially embracing the filling end catcher. This action takes place at the time the shut tle is picked succeeding transfer.

The filling end is thus firmly gripped and. as the shuttle is shot across the lay. it is removed from the shuttle eye and drops downwardly across the filling end catcher. As the lay moves rcarwardly the clearer draws the cleared filling end from the fill ing end catcher. By reason of the fact that the filling end clearer in the present construction is smooth, the cleared filling end readily drops away from the same. instead of being retained thereupon as in construc tions heretofore produced in which the clearer comprises a serrated member..

It will be noted that the proper action of the filling end catcher and clearer is in sured by the position of the arm 18 which prevents the filling from being thrown out of the field of action of these instrumentalities.

it will be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein illustrative and not restrictive and that various modifications may be made in construction and arrangement of parts within the meaning and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new. and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is:

l. in a filling replenishing loom comprisng a frame, a lay provided at its end with shuttle box having an aperture therehrough to permit the discharge of an abandoned filling carrier, hooked teeth projecting downwardly from the forward wall of said aperture and pointing toward the ad jacent end of the lay, a toothed filling end catcher pivotally mounted upon said frame, positioned below and closely adjacent to the path of the bottom of said lay end and behind the path of the discharging filling carrier during replenishment, acting as the lay recedes to engage and bend the filling end abruptly around the toothed under edge of o an the lay end, and a filling end clearer yieldably mounted on said lay below said filling end catcher adapted to cross the path of the discharging filling carrier upon the beatup of the lay, and upon rearward movement thereof to engage said filling end and produce a bight thereof around said filling end catcher at the time the shuttle is picked next succeeding transfer.

2. In a filling replenishing loom comprising a frame, alay provided at its end with a shuttle box having an aperture therethrough to permit the discharge of an abandoned filling carrier, teeth projecting downwardly from the forward wall of said aperture, a filling end catcher comprising a toothed plate pivotally mounted upon said frame, resilient means capable of permitting swinging movement of said filling end catcher in either direction, normally supporting said filling end catcher behind the path of the discharging filling carrier during transfer, a filling end clearer yieldably mounted on said lay below and closely ad jacent to said filling end catcher, adapted to cross the path of the discharging filling carrier upon the beat-up of the lay, and upon rearward movement of the lay to engage the filling end and produce a bight thereof about said filling end catcher at the time the shuttle is picked next succeeding transfer.

3. In a filling replenishing loom comprising a frame, a lay provided at its end with a shuttle box having an aperture therethrough to permit the discharge of an abandoned filling carrier, teeth extending clownwardly from the forward wall of said aperture, a filling end catcher comprising a plate having a toothed upper edge positioned below the path of the bottom of the lay end and behind the path of the discharging filling carrier during replenishment, means carried by said filling end catcher for retaining the filling end within the field of action of said filling end catcher comprisingan arm projecting from the endof said filling end catcher across the aperture in the 'lay through which the filling carrier is discharged, and a filling end clearer extending in parallelism with the lay, carried by an arm yieldably and pivotally mounted on said lay and adapted to cross the path of the discharging filling carrier upon beat-up of the lay, closely adjacent to the under edge of said filling end catcher and upon rearward movement of said lay to engage the filling end and produce a bight thereof about said filling end catcher at the time the shuttle is picked next succeeding transfer.

l. In a filling replenishing loom compIIS- ing a frame and a lay provided at its end with a shuttle box having an aperture therethrough to permit the discharge of an abandoned filling carrier, hook -shaped teeth extending downwardly from the forward wall of said aperture and pointing toward the adjacent end of the lay, a filling end catcher having a toothed upper edge positioned below and closely adjacent to the path of the bottom of the lay end and behind the path of the fillin carrier during filling replenishment, acting as the lay recedes to engage the trailing filling end and bend the" same abruptly around the toothed edge on said lay end and means for bending the filling end around the under edge of said filling end catcher.

5. In a filling replenishing loom comprising a frame, a lay provided at its end with a shuttle box having an aperture therethrough to permit the discharge of an abandoned filling carrier,- hook-shaped teeth extending downwardly from the forward wall of said aperture and pointing toward the adjacent end of the lay, a filling end catcher comprising a plate having a serrated upper edge, pivotally and yieldably mounted upon said frame to lie closely adjacent the path of the bottom of said lay end and behind the path of the filling carrier during replenishment, and a filling end clearer comprising a smooth bar yieldably mounted upon said lay and extending in parallelism therewith, positioned to cross the path of the discharging filling carrier closely adjacent to the under edge of said filling end catcher upon the beatup of the lay, and upon rearward movement of the lay to engage said filling end and to produce a bight thereof about said filling end catcher at the time the shuttle is picked next succeeding transfer, and upon further movement of the lay to discharge said filling end.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWVARD S. STIMPSON 

